Delaware · DeSSA · grades 3-8
DeSSA
Practice Tests
Questions aligned to Common Core State Standards, grades 3-8. Pick a grade and subject and try them without signing up: Math and English/RLA.
Practice DeSSA Questions
Pick your child's grade to start. No signup required.
DeSSA sample questions with answers
One question from each of several grades, with the answer and a step-by-step explanation. Open a question's answer when your child has tried it.
Question 1 · Grade 3 Math · Standard 3.OA.C.7
What is 54 ÷ 6?
- A.7
- B.8
- C.9
- D.10
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: C. 9
54 ÷ 6 = 9. Think: 6 × 9 = 54. Division is the inverse of multiplication.
Question 2 · Grade 4 English · Standard RL.4.2
In a story, Nora is afraid of the ocean waves at the beach. Her grandfather shows her how to wait for the calm water between waves. She practices every morning, and by the end of the summer she swims out to the sandbar by herself. What is the theme of the story?
- A.The ocean is too dangerous for children
- B.Patience and practice can help you face a fear
- C.Grandparents always know best
- D.Summer is the best season
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. Patience and practice can help you face a fear
Nora starts out afraid, learns to wait for calm water, practices every day, and finally swims out alone. The lesson is that patience and practice helped her overcome her fear.
Question 3 · Grade 6 Math · Standard 6.RP.A.3
A car travels 132 miles in 2 hours at a constant speed. At this rate, how far will it travel in 5 hours?
- A.264 miles
- B.330 miles
- C.396 miles
- D.660 miles
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. 330 miles
Unit rate: 132 ÷ 2 = 66 miles per hour. In 5 hours: 66 × 5 = 330 miles. 660 comes from multiplying 132 by 5 without finding the unit rate first.
Question 4 · Grade 7 Math · Standard 7.RP.A.3
A bike costs $240. It is on sale for 15% off. What is the sale price?
- A.$36
- B.$204
- C.$225
- D.$276
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. $204
15% of $240 = 0.15 × 240 = $36 off. Sale price: $240 − $36 = $204. $36 is the discount, not the price, and $276 adds the discount instead of subtracting it.
Question 5 · Grade 8 English · Standard RL.8.4
In a poem, the speaker says: "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul." The poet uses this metaphor to suggest that hope —
- A.Is fragile and easily broken
- B.Lives inside us like a bird, always ready to sing
- C.Belongs only to people with birds
- D.Is the same as a pet
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. Lives inside us like a bird, always ready to sing
Emily Dickinson's metaphor compares hope to a bird — it 'perches in the soul,' suggesting hope lives within us and, like a bird, can take flight or sing even in dark times.
Every grade, every subject
How DeSSA prep works
- 1
Pick your grade
Select your child's grade level. We show which subjects are available for that grade on the DeSSA.
- 2
Choose a subject
Pick Math, English/RLA, or Science. Every question is aligned to Common Core State Standards at the right difficulty.
- 3
Practice and learn
Answer questions in the real DeSSA format. Every answer gets a detailed explanation so your child learns from mistakes.
Why Delaware parents choose iMasterly
Common Core State Standards-aligned questions
Every question maps to specific Common Core State Standards and reporting categories. Not generic — built for DeSSA.
Verified accuracy
Every question is checked and verified against the answer key. No wrong answers to trip your child up.
Misconception-based distractors
Wrong answers target the exact mistakes students make. Your child learns WHY they got it wrong.
Beyond test prep
DeSSA prep is just one feature. iMasterly teaches 15+ subjects with AI-personalized curriculum.
DOK-matched difficulty
Questions match the real DeSSA's Depth of Knowledge distribution for authentic practice.
Built to the real DeSSA
Practice tests follow the DeSSA's published blueprint for each grade and subject: the same standards, question types and points as test day, with original questions and every answer explained.
Delaware's 2026-27 DeSSA testing windows
These are the statewide windows on the Delaware Department of Education's DeSSA calendar. Your school picks its own testing days inside each window, so ask the school for your child's dates.
Paper/pencil: April 12 – May 7
Paper/pencil: April 12 – May 7
Grades 5, 7: Jan 11-29, May 3-21
Source: DDOE, Delaware System of Student Assessments (DeSSA): 2026-2027 Calendar.
DeSSA score levels and cut scores, grades 3-8
Your child gets a scale score (on a 2000-3000 scale) that is turned into one of four levels. DDOE's family guide names them: 1 = well below, 2 = below, 3 = proficient and 4 = above proficient. The score needed for each level rises every grade, so the same scale score that is proficient in grade 3 is not proficient in grade 4. Find your child's grade and score below.
ELA/literacy
| Grade | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 (proficient) | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2366 and below | 2367-2431 | 2432-2489 | 2490 and above |
| 4 | 2415 and below | 2416-2472 | 2473-2532 | 2533 and above |
| 5 | 2441 and below | 2442-2501 | 2502-2581 | 2582 and above |
| 6 | 2456 and below | 2457-2530 | 2531-2617 | 2618 and above |
| 7 | 2478 and below | 2479-2551 | 2552-2648 | 2649 and above |
| 8 | 2486 and below | 2487-2566 | 2567-2667 | 2668 and above |
Mathematics
| Grade | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 (proficient) | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2380 and below | 2381-2435 | 2436-2500 | 2501 and above |
| 4 | 2410 and below | 2411-2484 | 2485-2548 | 2549 and above |
| 5 | 2454 and below | 2455-2527 | 2528-2578 | 2579 and above |
| 6 | 2472 and below | 2473-2551 | 2552-2609 | 2610 and above |
| 7 | 2483 and below | 2484-2566 | 2567-2634 | 2635 and above |
| 8 | 2503 and below | 2504-2585 | 2586-2652 | 2653 and above |
Sources: DDOE, Smarter ELA Performance Standards · DDOE, Mathematics Performance Standards · DDOE, A family's guide to Delaware's assessment program for Mathematics.
2026 DeSSA results by school district (grades 3-8)
Percent of students in grades 3-8 scoring proficient, as presented by DDOE to the State Board of Education on August 20, 2026. Statewide, ELA was 42% (up from 41%) and math was 35% (up from 34%).
| District | ELA 2025 | ELA 2026 | Math 2025 | Math 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appoquinimink | 52% | 54% | 45% | 46% |
| Brandywine | 45% | 44% | 37% | 37% |
| Caesar Rodney | 48% | 48% | 38% | 41% |
| Cape Henlopen | 58% | 60% | 52% | 53% |
| Capital | 25% | 26% | 18% | 19% |
| Christina | 34% | 36% | 29% | 31% |
| Colonial | 24% | 25% | 18% | 19% |
| Delmar | 38% | 39% | 27% | 28% |
| Indian River | 41% | 40% | 38% | 37% |
| Lake Forest | 41% | 42% | 34% | 37% |
| Laurel | 30% | 28% | 22% | 22% |
| Milford | 33% | 37% | 24% | 27% |
| Red Clay Consolidated | 40% | 40% | 33% | 33% |
| Seaford | 40% | 40% | 35% | 34% |
| Smyrna | 42% | 43% | 33% | 37% |
| Woodbridge | 37% | 36% | 27% | 29% |
Source: DDOE Office of Assessment and Accountability, 2026 State Assessment Results, Grades 3-8. The same briefing lists charter school results.
Smarter Balanced practice by grade
Delaware's grades 3-8 ELA and math tests come from the Smarter Balanced consortium, so our Smarter Balanced grade pages apply here too. They were written with California's version (called CAASPP) in mind, so the score names and statistics on them are California's; the skills and question types are the same.
Smarter Balanced also publishes official practice tests (about 30 questions each, grades 3-8) and shorter training tests, with no login needed: smarterbalanced.org practice tests.
Updated October 30, 2026
What Is the DeSSA Test in Delaware?
DeSSA, the Delaware System of Student Assessments, is Delaware's statewide testing system. Under state regulation, all students in grades 3-8 take the general assessments in English language arts/literacy and mathematics, students in grades 5 and 8 (and those taking high school Biology) take science, and students in grades 4-8 take social studies. The grades 3-8 ELA and math tests come from the Smarter Balanced consortium, of which Delaware is a member; they measure the Common Core State Standards, which DDOE says Delaware adopted in 2010. They are computer adaptive (questions get harder or easier based on earlier answers) and include a performance task. In high school, the calendar lists the PSAT 10 in grade 10 and SAT School Day in grade 11.
When Is the DeSSA Test in 2026-27?
DDOE's 2026-2027 DeSSA calendar sets the ELA and mathematics window for grades 3-8 at April 12 - May 21, 2027, with paper/pencil testing from April 12 to May 7. DeSSA Science (grades 5, 8 and Biology) uses the same window. DeSSA Social Studies runs through the year: grades 4, 6 and 8 have three administrations (November 2-20, 2026; February 8-26, 2027; May 3-21, 2027) and grades 5 and 7 have two (January 11-29 and May 3-21, 2027). Your school schedules its own days inside each window.
DeSSA Subjects by Grade
| Grade | Subjects Tested |
|---|---|
| Grade 3 | ELA and math (Smarter Balanced) |
| Grade 4 | ELA and math (Smarter Balanced) + DeSSA Social Studies |
| Grade 5 | ELA and math (Smarter Balanced) + DeSSA Science + DeSSA Social Studies |
| Grade 6 | ELA and math (Smarter Balanced) + DeSSA Social Studies |
| Grade 7 | ELA and math (Smarter Balanced) + DeSSA Social Studies |
| Grade 8 | ELA and math (Smarter Balanced) + DeSSA Science + DeSSA Social Studies |
DeSSA Scoring: Understanding Your Child's Results
Delaware uses the following performance levels. Level 3 (proficient) is the goal; Level 4 is above proficient. The Level 3 cut rises each grade: in ELA it is 2432 in grade 3 and 2567 in grade 8; in math it is 2436 in grade 3 and 2586 in grade 8. The full tables for every grade are above.
Well below
Level 1. In grade 5 math, for example, a scale score of 2454 or below.
Below
Level 2. In grade 5 math, for example, 2455-2527.
Proficient
Level 3, the proficiency goal. In grade 5 math, for example, 2528-2578.
Above proficient
Level 4. In grade 5 math, for example, 2579 and above.
DeSSA Test Format: What to Expect
Computer adaptive
DDOE explains that the Smarter Balanced tests base the difficulty of each next question on earlier answers, which gives a more precise measure, especially for students who are well above or below grade level.
Performance task
Both ELA and math include a performance task: a set of connected questions and activities built around one theme or real-world scenario. DDOE says the performance task is given by computer but is not adaptive, and may take one to two class periods.
More than multiple choice
Besides multiple-choice questions, students write their own answers and explain their thinking. DDOE's math guide says students show understanding by using different strategies, plus multiple-choice and short-answer questions, and groups of questions that together assess a broad concept.
Untimed math
DDOE's math family guide says the grades 3-8 math test is designed so most students finish in about 2 hours, but it is untimed, so students may take more time if they need it.
Three levels of support
Delaware's accessibility manual lists universal tools available to every student (such as highlighting), designated supports for students who need them (such as a different background or font color), and accommodations for students with an IEP or 504 plan.
What's new for 2026-27
The grades 3-8 ELA and math tests are not changing. The 2027 window moves to April 12 - May 21 (it was April 13 - May 22 in 2026). In its August 2026 results release, DDOE said it is reviewing the future of the statewide high school assessment, with funding from the General Assembly; that review is about high school, not grades 3-8.
Delaware DeSSA Score Trends
DDOE released 2026 grades 3-8 results on August 18, 2026. Math rose for the fourth year in a row, and ELA tied 2022 for its highest level in five years.
| Measure (grades 3-8) | % proficient, 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ELA, grades 3-8 | 42% | 41% in 2025; 42% in 2022 |
| Math, grades 3-8 | 35% | 34% in 2025; 30% in 2022 |
| Grade 3 ELA | 40% | 39% in 2025; 2028 target 53% |
| Grade 8 math | 29% | 27% in 2025; 2028 target 35% |
| Participation, ELA and math | 98% |
DDOE says statewide proficiency remains below the goals in its strategic plan, and that progress is uneven across grades, schools and student groups.
What Makes the DeSSA Different From Other State Tests?
- -
Delaware publishes its exact cut scores for every grade, so you can tell from your child's scale score how far they are from Level 3.
- -
Social studies is a through-year test in grades 4-8, with two or three short windows across the school year instead of a single spring test.
- -
Delaware gives the same Smarter Balanced ELA and math tests as the other member states, so the official Smarter Balanced practice tests match the real format.
- -
Teachers can use optional Smarter Balanced interim tests and tools from September 8, 2026 to July 23, 2027, but not during the April 12 - May 21 summative window.
- -
DDOE set statewide targets for 2028: 53% of third graders proficient in ELA and 35% of eighth graders proficient in math.
What Delaware Parents Should Know About the DeSSA
Look at the scale score, not only the level. The cut-score tables above show how many points your child is from the next level in their grade.
The proficiency line goes up every grade. A child who stays at the same scale score from one year to the next will drop a level.
Every family gets a score report for each child who tested. DDOE says it explains how your child did and how to read the scores, and links to what is expected in the previous and next grade.
DDOE's math family guide notes that teachers use the state math score as one of many measures of your child's progress in math, not the only one.
A child who repeats a grade takes the DeSSA tests required for that grade again (Delaware regulation 101).
For a child with an IEP, Delaware also has an alternate assessment. A parent who wants the portfolio alternate assessment considered must ask the district in writing by October 15 of that school year.
Frequently Asked Questions About the DeSSA
What is the DeSSA test?
DeSSA is the Delaware System of Student Assessments. For grades 3-8 it includes the Smarter Balanced tests in English language arts/literacy and math every year, DeSSA Science in grades 5 and 8, and DeSSA Social Studies in grades 4-8.
Is DeSSA the same as Smarter Balanced?
For ELA and math in grades 3-8, yes: DDOE's parent FAQ explains that Delaware is one of the states in the Smarter Balanced consortium, which develops the ELA/literacy and math tests. DeSSA is the name of Delaware's whole testing system, which also includes science, social studies, alternate assessments and the SAT in high school.
When is DeSSA testing in 2027?
Grades 3-8 ELA and math: April 12 - May 21, 2027 (paper/pencil April 12 - May 7). Science for grades 5 and 8 uses the same window. Your school chooses its own days inside the window.
What DeSSA score is proficient?
Level 3 (proficient) or Level 4 (above proficient). The Level 3 cut depends on grade and subject: for example, grade 3 ELA starts at 2432 and grade 8 math starts at 2586. The tables on this page list every grade.
What does Level 2 mean on the DeSSA?
Level 2 is "below" proficient in DDOE's family guide. The child is under the Level 3 cut for their grade. Check the cut-score table to see how many scale-score points separate your child from Level 3.
How long is the DeSSA math test?
DDOE's family guide says the grades 3-8 math test is designed so most students finish in about 2 hours, but it is untimed, so a child can take longer if needed.
Are there official DeSSA practice tests?
Yes. DDOE points families to the Smarter Balanced practice and training tests. Smarter Balanced says practice tests are available for grades 3-8 with about 30 questions each, training tests are shorter, and no login is needed.
How did Delaware students do on the 2026 DeSSA?
In grades 3-8, 42% were proficient in ELA (up from 41%) and 35% in math (up from 34%), DDOE reported on August 18, 2026. Grade 3 ELA was 40% and grade 8 math 29%.
Questions parents ask
What is the DeSSA test?
The DeSSA is Delaware's standardized assessment for grades 3-8. Students are tested in Math and English/RLA every year.
How does iMasterly match the real DeSSA?
Practice tests are built to the DeSSA's published blueprint for each grade and subject: the same reporting categories, question types and point values, with questions written to Common Core State Standards. Before a question goes into the bank it is checked independently: a separate check solves it from scratch without seeing the answer key, and on math questions code checks the arithmetic. Questions that fail are reworked and checked again; any that still fail are held back and never shown to your child.
What does it cost?
DeSSA practice is not sold separately: it comes with the AI tutoring and personalized curriculum. Current plans are on the pricing page.
How many practice questions are available?
iMasterly has a deep bank of standards-aligned practice questions for every grade and subject, so your child can keep practicing without running out.
DeSSA is coming. Start practicing today.
Standards-aligned practice for every grade, with every answer explained.